Hi all!

When arriving home, a big blue box was "looking" at me: it was YS Masterpieces 1/35 Russian Tupolev G-5 Torpedo Boat.

I only looked at the hull piece and I must say that I am impressed with the details and quality of the casting!

A review (in the box) is about to be made, as well as a C.I.M. Robert Fulton's 1/32 Nautilus Submersible, also impressive although with a tricky part (but I only have looked into the box).

So, apart from all the work that I have to catch up with, the models that I have to finish (Seeing Red and DDD) to use in our club annual expo -in Almada 13 to 15 May (more details soon), I still have to make this two reviews

It's good to be back!!

Skipper

Hi Rui !

Sorry for replying so late. Do you have a link/contact to YS Masterpieces ? I'd like to know if they have the G-5 in 1/72 scale, too. It's a really sweet looking thing; enjoy building it.

Thanks and Cheers

Frank

Hi Geronimo!

YS Masterpieces only carry the 1/35 scale Tupolev G-5
Interavia is the russian company that has the 1/72 scale model...

By the way, do you have any references on this boat that you can share info (name, publisher, isbn....)

Thanks in advance

Skipper

Hi Rui !

All I found out about the boat was @ http://warships.web4u.cz/lode.php?language=E&stat=SOV&typ=MTB&trida=G+5

and by googling around and finding 3 (three) pictures and some reports. At least I know that there was an early war and a late war type. Which one is yours ? The late war type has a kind of square shaped gun turret behind the wheel house instead of the bow gun. What I also read was that these boats were seldomly armed with torpedos. Their tasks were patrols and engagements with similar armed vessels (Finish, German or Italian). Btw, an interesting fact about the G-5 is, that is was faster than the torpedos it fired; this was the only way to launch them from the uncommon stern position.
What I'm interested in are the sizes of the boat: according to the site mentioned above, the length is 19,1m. Is that including the torpedo rails at the stern ?
I thought about a scratch-building session ... Carving the body out of balsa or PU-foam; covering the thing with a thick layer of filler and sanding it smooth. If that works, I could use it as a master. I have some possibilities here at work with silicone moulds and epoxy resin (and PU-foam). But I'll take a look at Interavia first.

Thanks

Frank

Hallo Frank!

Thanks for the link, and I also add one (of a book that I am looking for)
http://www.armybook.com/summary.html?code=0102006963
since I have only one or two bad pics on my references...

My G-5 is like the second and third profile, I would call it intermediate version

I also would like to tell you that the Interavia model is kind of bad, but with a lot of work you can make it a fine model. It also include a small PE fret, that replace some of the plastic/resin blobs. And I say plastic/resin because it is so hard plastic that is impossible to work on it without a powertool... Some parts needed to be replaced by spares and/or streched sprue or wire...

If you would go for a scratchbuilt one, I would sugest you get the Interavia model for reference because of the complexity of the hull - it has some tricky curves and shapes that is hard to catch from the few pics !

On a bigger scale, I can say that the YS Masterpieces master modeler did his homework and the details are just awesome!!! And the casting is top quality, making it easyer for the modeler.

If you need anything, please ask!
Thank you for your inputs

Skipper

Hi Rui !

Thanks for the book-link; some nice pictures there. The Katyusha-conversion looks most interesting; looks like some kind of river patrol or small-scale landing support.
But with your info about the Interavia kit, scatch-building is my way to go. Seems as if I have to get that book.
After I tried (and still do) to s.-b. a 1/72 type IX U-Boot, I won't be shocked/discouraged by anything. You can't imagine just how many hull slots there are, not to talk about the deck. And the more reference I find, the more confused I am.
Do you know Revell's "British" Vosper MTB ? I bought it and searched for references for what I thought was an early war MTB. What I finally found out was that this special type was only built in the US during mid-war, and almost exclusively for lend-lease to Russia. The Airfix E-boat is very well detailed (for such an old kit), but the bow section is badly curved... You see ? So far for the professionals. What can I do wrong then (since PU is that cheap for me) ?
I won't be as perfect as Bill Waldorf , whose work you can see @ http://www.bismarck-class.dk/shipmodels/building_articles/uss_gambier_bay_cve_73_waldorf/uss_gambier_bay_waldorf_part_1.html
(check out all the five parts of the story)
But this is truly an inspiration to just try something
So I just keep it up and thanks for your time.

And remember my question about the boat's length in my former post, do you ? And keep me informed about your progress !

Frank

PS: Anyway, I try to find the Interavia model; it'll help keeping things simple

Me too


That's a very interesting project! I am aware of the hull slots number and the deck
Are you using Vom Original zum Model - Uboottyp IX, by Rossler as a reference? Or did you bought the needed plasn from Motorbuch Verlag? Just curious...
And if you're building a specific u-boat (to my mind comes U-505) you could try to get as many pictures of it as you can get - and stick to it! Just a tought!!

Yes I have built both of them when I didn't make any research. Bought the model, build it, painted and was fun! I was 20 years younger :-)


Fortunatly things seemed to have improved, but I still think that at the time they had make a great job, specially with the E-Boat... Only surpassed by Tamiya's 1/72 Vosper and Japanese torpedo boats!


Yes I know his work... Inspiring and I wish I only could be half a modeler he is



No problem, Frank!!!
I know you would do the same for any other modeler
This is the grand part of this community



Not forgoten

Skipper

Good morning Sir, skipper, Sir !

Man, you read my mind ! I started the general layout of my type IX with some plans for a radiocontroled model. Actually my boss, who also is a friend of mine, planned to do that boat, but he switched to a 1/25 S-Boat. He already had cut out the bulkheads and the keel out of thick cardboard. Construction was easy so far; I built up the hull with thin cardboard, paper and lots of wallpaper-glue (it'll be a static model). I'll cover the whole thing with filler and sand it down. Since it is all "hand-fabricated", I hope to get a dented and war-weary look as side-effect. Have you ever seen a U-boot hull ? Compared to that, tanks are pieces of jewellry in terms of a smooth surface. For the turret, deck, details etc. I really bought "Vom Original zum Modell ..." as you mentioned (for the Type XXI also ...). It's quite ok; although there is not an exact description of the different turret types ! The best photo resource (concerning the wooden deck) I found, really was a photo-series of U-505 in Chicago ! So I try to go for that. The armarment is clear so far: Revell's S-100 comes along with two sets for either the 37mm and the 20mm twin...So only one twin to s.-b. and minor changes to the others.
U-505 didn't mount the 105mm deck gun (Type IX had the 105mm instead of the 88mm of Type VII).

Aah, there should be more ships in 1/72 or bigger; all that is left are Revell's Type VII (and let's see how type IX comes out , there's lot of reference for VII...), the Flower corvette and (believe it or not) the PT-boat. What about a nice little destroyer (tribal class, fletcher, ...) ? Dreamin' ...


CU

Frank

Looking forward to your review......! Does this company make a Higgins PT boat by chance.......?

JK

Hi All

Frank: Yes there was a time that I also dreamt of all those 1/72 kits.. Type IX, Type II, Gato/Balao
In these past years 1/72 naval subjects are slowly coming out Maybe in a few years (keep dreaming)

Also during these last years I have been able to mix some of my vacations with (misteriously :-) ) submarine museums destinations... Since they happen to be there (ah-a!!) I visit them and take pictures.... I have missed a few, for not doing homework properly (like Venezia Naval Museum and their SLC Maiale!!!!!)
So far in the list:
- Vesikko (Type II U-boat)
- Riachuelo (Oberon)
- USS Pampanito (Balao)
- Biber
- SSB (Siluro San Bartolomeo - or Maiale II )
- USS Growler

I am still trying to convince Mrs Skipper on going to Laboe - Deustchland - very difficult!!

James: Hello James! This Tupolev is YS Masterpieces first big scale boat (so far YSM has only produced 1/350)... so this is a test for future productions and I really don't know what Yiannis have in mind!

To my knowledge there's no Higgins PT boat in any big scale (1/72, 1/35 or 1/32)

Hope this helped

Skipper

Hi James,

Revell had one in their program in the 70s. Take a look @
http://www.schnellboot.net/us/higgins78/revell72pt207/index.html

It is 1/99 (!!!) in scale. No comment.

And I found this one in 1/20 (RC) @ http://www.geocities.com/mosquitoboat/modelimages/higginselcoelco.JPG

I don't know any Higgins in a common scale, sorry. But if you'll ever find something in 1/72, please let me know.



Yo Rui !

"Also during these last years I have been able to mix some of my vacations with (misteriously ) submarine museums destinations... Since they happen to be there (ah-a!!) I visit them and take pictures...."

Yeah, very mysterious, :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
I remember one of my worst holidays in Normandie ... Citation (me): "But darling, I've never seen a Panther in such good conditions before ..."
Citation (she): "Yesterday a Tiger, today a Panther. Tomorrow, I go to the beach and you can go to visit a f***ing circus !!!"
Pfff, girls are so stupid.

I found out where to get the Interavia G-5 (14,95$, could have been really worse)); it's the same site where you found that book. Btw, both articles don't seem to be on store. This in fact is worse. But while ckecking out that site, I've found another few G-5 pics that i didn't have yet ...

Nice weekend, buddy; I'm offline until Tuesday.
My best regards to Mrs Skipper

Frank

Yes Frank, they will never understand our motivation :-)

but at least Mrs Skipper (Alexandra, by the way) don't bother me (much) about my spendings... just the space ocupied by the boxes which by the way is another thing they don't understand "If you have so many unbuilt why are you going to buy another one?"

I'll be off too from tomorrow until monday, because of our modeling club expo.

Back to the Topic

I'll check the dimentions of the Tupolev during the weekend and post asap!

Have a great weekend and also my regards to Mrs Geronimo

Skipper

Skipper
For references for the G-5 there are some photos in the Warships fotofax series 'Soviet Navy at War 1941-45' by Przemyslaw Budzbon. It's an inexpensive book you should be able to find, if not let me know and you can borrow mine.

Mike

Thanks Mike!

I have ordered that book in Armybooks.com, and am waiting for arrival...
But the other book, the Armada one, just on the Tupolev G-5 with plans and color plates was the one... But I missed it

But thanks for the borrowing intention

Skipper

James

That Revell Higgins PT boat was called PT 212. If you haunt ebay , they show up once in a while. They are considered collectors kits so be prepared to drop $30+ to pick one up. Last year I was trying to get one until I found out they weren't as close to 72nd scale as I thought. I had one when I was a kid and played with it (as we all did with models back then)

Rui

Go to

www.siriusm.homestead.com

they have the Armada book that you want. He is based in the Soviet Union but I know Jim Baumann has bought from him and says he is a reliable chap. Go to the warships section and it is book no 77, not sure of the price though. Good luck!

Mike